Job responsibilities
Financial
Reporting
Responsible
for providing accurate, timely, detailed budget management reports and
supporting information to all budget managers within the Division, in a format
that enables complex information to be understood by non-finance staff.
Take
responsibility for the design, review, maintenance, modification and update of
financial systems for reporting Divisional and Trust wide financial positions.
Ensure
that reports are of the highest quality by actively contributing to the quality
assurance process and ensuring that key validations and reconciliations are
completed.
Supervise
the month end process for the team to ensure that deadlines are met and a true
and fair view of the Divisions position is reported.
Prepare a
detailed financial report each month for presentation at the monthly pre-Trust
Board meeting. The Business Advisor will
be required to answer detailed questions on any aspect of the Divisions
finances at these meetings. Where
performance differs from plan, the Business Advisor will be expected to propose
rectification measures for discussion and agreement at the meeting.
Strategic /
Financial Planning
Lead the
annual financial planning process for the Division including identifying,
co-ordinating and quantifying Activity Levels, Capacity Requirements, Service
Developments, Cost Pressures, Cost & Productivity Improvement Programme (CPIP)and Capital
Bids to support the annual objectives.
Identify
threats to the financial stability of the Division and agree rectification
measures with the relevant clinical or non-clinical managers. These plans will require monitoring
thereafter to ensure that overall financial viability is being maintained.
Supervise
the production of detailed forecast out-turn projections for the Division. Where forecast out-turn deviates from plan,
lead the process of preparing a financial rectification plan for agreement by
the Division.
Take
responsibility for budget setting for the Division, in line with agreed Trust
policies and ensuring the involvement of key Divisional managers and
clinicians. Ensure that all budgets are signed off at Directorate and
Divisional level before presenting the start-point budget to the senior
management team for written approval.
Ensure
that Divisions budgets are set within available resources allowing for
developments and other income adjustments, providing for recurrent financial
balance, and advise on resource allocation and cost improvement issues.
Advise the
Deputy Director of Finance of the robustness and
achievability of Divisional financial plans, highlighting levels of risk, to
facilitate the assessment and reporting of the Trust corporate financial
position.
Business
Management and Decision Support
Corporate
responsibility for the utilisation of the financial resources and assets of the
Division to ensure efficient and effective use.
Support
and advise on the production of business cases within the Division, including
leading on and taking responsibility for the accuracy of the financial
analysis. This will include
analysis/triangulation of highly complex data from a variety of sources and the
application of recognised investment appraisal techniques to proposals to
facilitate decision making and ensure that developments can withstand robust
financial scrutiny as well as supporting the Division to critically scrutinise
business to ensure they are robust.
Support
the development and monitoring of non-financial performance indicators (e.g.
length of stay, theatre utilisation) to identify areas where the use of
resources can be improved. Work with operational managers and clinicians to
improve utilisation and productivity and demonstrate the impact of this on
financial performance.
Take the
lead for the Division on benchmarking and value for money audits to ensure best
practice and optimal utilisation of resources.
Support
the Procurement Department in negotiating external contracts with suppliers.
Take the
financial lead on the evaluation of tenders to ensure that the Division is
providing best value for money.
The post
will be responsible for maximising income levels for the Directorates it
supports, ensuring that funding sources from all appropriate external agencies
are investigated and that all funding is recovered.
Ensures
that Approval to Recruit (ATR) applications and establishments are being
processed/updated in a correct and timely manner. Challenges any atypical posts and decides if
these can proceed whilst balancing service needs and financial risk.
The post
will ensure that information provision and outputs associated with Service Line
Reporting for the supported Directorates are generated in accordance with the
Trusts SLR policies and procedures and are communicated to the Division used
to identify opportunities for improvements in profitability.
Financial
Policies and Procedures
The role
will be responsible for managing the financial control processes ensuring
efficiency, effectiveness, integrity, and an appropriate business focus within
the framework of the Trusts financial systems.
Contribute
fully to the development of corporate financial policies, strategies and
systems and adhere to these in the performance of the duties of the post.
Identify opportunities to improve and develop system based working practices,
taking a lead for the Trust if required.
Proactively
identify areas of weakness in financial controls, policies and processes
outside of Financial Management (e.g. Financial Services) and make constructive
use of intra-departmental meetings to propose and drive forward appropriate
changes.
Promote,
implement, and advocate corporately agreed financial policies, procedures and
approaches within the Division to ensure acceptance and adherence.
Drive
forward the continued development of the finance function in response to
national policy drivers, e.g. changes to the NHS finance architecture,
Integrated Care Systems, requiring interpretation of financial and other
legislation/policies for the Division.
Act as
Divisional lead for the financial implications of the implementation of
national policies, e.g. changes to the NHS finance architecture
Leadership and
Staff Management
Responsible
for the staff within the Divisional finance team, including recruitment and
selection decisions, appraisal, performance management, sickness absence,
disciplinary and grievance issues, allocation, re-allocation and monitoring of
departmental workload and personal development in accordance with agreed Trust
policies and procedures.
Financial
Services
Take the
lead within the Division coordinating with financial service colleagues for
ensuring that processes are developed and maintained which deliver the Trusts
Financial services objectives including:
o Compliance with the Better Payment Practice Code.
o Improved debt recovery.
o Management of the Trusts working capital.
o Statutory Accounting including the production of the
Annual Accounts and monthly TDA returns.
o Capital
Negotiate
with NHS/external organisations over cost/service issues to resolve disputes to
facilitate payment and improve cash-flow.
These negotiations will usually be of a complexity/difficulty that
cannot be resolved effectively at Directorate level.
Financial Advice
and Training
Where
breaches are discovered, ensure appropriate action is taken, in compliance with
Trust policies
Provide
expert advices to the contracts team to support negotiation of contracts with
commissioners and where Divisional input is required on a specific area of the
contract.
To ensure
that the Division understand the Trusts overall financial position and the
potential implications of this on the Divisions own services/developments.
Ensures
that all budget holders receive sufficient training to enable them to exercise
their duties in accordance with the Trusts financial policies including
Standing Financial Instructions, Standing Orders and Scheme of Delegation. Where breaches are discovered, ensure
appropriate action is taken, in compliance with Trust policies
To ensure
that own professional skills and knowledge are regularly updated through
mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
Quality Assurance
Ensure
that the process of financial management takes into account the need to enhance
the quality of care provided within the hospital.
Constantly
review, update and improve information systems for managing the financial and
accounting processes with the finance department.
Ensure
that the process of financial management provides complete, timely and
consistent information, in line with recognised best practice.
Ensure
that there are robust internal control systems within Divisions so as to
provide substantial assurance of effective internal control.
Undertake
regular audit of departments working practice in order to promote continuous
improvement in accounting practices, including the use of surveys within the
organisation, and analysis tools as appropriate.
Other Duties
Deputises
for the Deputy Director of Finance as required.
Play a
leading role in the Directorates continuous improvement programme.
The range
of duties outlined above is not exhaustive and are subject to modification in
light of changing service needs. In
addition to the above the post holder may be required to undertake other duties
which fall within the grade of the job, in discussion with the manager.
